Bush tries to play down rift over Iraq

President George Bush, in conciliatory mood, yesterday held his first formal talks with President Vladimir Putin since Russia tried to block the US-led war on Iraq.

The meeting looked likely to be a gentle precursor for Mr Bush to a tense Group of Eight summit starting later in the day in the French resort of Evian.

US officials have been at pains lately to try to put to the side any signs of anger that Russia had joined France and Germany to oppose the invasion.

And on Saturday in Poland, on the first leg of his week-long tour of Europe and the Middle East, Mr Bush was at pains to play down any split with Europe over the war, saying this was "no time to stir up divisions in a great alliance".

Even if Mr Bush and Mr Putin do brush over differences over Iraq, there is still the prickly issue of Russian support for Iran's nuclear power program, which Washington claims is little more than a ploy by Tehran to work on developing nuclear weapons.");document.write("

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Mr Bush and Mr Putin were expected to discuss economic issues, including efforts to turn Russia into a strategic oil supplier for the US.

Another issue is their joint concern over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. Russia is one of few countries to have anything like close ties with Pyongyang.

After their summit, the two leaders were to fly to France for the annual gathering of the world's seven leading industrial nations and Russia.

G8 summits traditionally assess the health of the world economy and recommend measures to boost growth. But despite fears about the faltering US dollar and the spectre of deflation, this year's gathering is more likely to focus on consigning the rifts over Iraq to the past - with all eyes on one-on-one talks today between Mr Bush and President Jacques Chirac of France, their first since the crisis.

Anti-G8 protesters blocked bridges with burning tyres in Geneva and French police fired tear gas at activists trying to bar the way to Evian yesterday.

In Lausanne, across Lake Geneva from Evian, protesters marched through the Swiss city, smashing shop windows and looting two petrol stations.